Your Distribution System –Your Distribution System – Cradle to Grave Cradle to Grave

Construction Inspection of Construction Inspection of Water Distribution Mains – Water Distribution Mains – Do it Right or be Sorry Do it Right or be Sorry

Your Distribution System –Your Distribution System – Cradle to Grave Cradle to Grave

Construction Inspection of Construction Inspection of Water Distribution Mains – Water Distribution Mains – Do it Right or be Sorry Do it Right or be Sorry

Ron Bard, P.E.

AgendaAgenda

▼ What to do During Design▼ What to do Before Construction Starts▼ The Facts of Life▼ Starting Out on the Right Foot▼ Documentation▼ TESC, Excavation, Shoring, Dewatering, Backfill▼ Items Easy to Overlook

Levels of CMLevels of CM

▼ Construction Monitoring▼ Construction Inspection▼ Construction Management

▼ Understand the Differences and Match Expectations

Increasing level of Increasing level of detail and responsibilitydetail and responsibility

During DesignDuring Design

▼ CM to Review Contract Documents▼ Provide a Formal Constructability Review▼ Conduct an Operations Review▼ Do the Specs Reflect How the Job will be Administered?▼ Consider Asset Management Issues▼ Decide What the Contractor Does for:

Testing As-builts Schedules

Before Construction StartsBefore Construction Starts

▼ Detailed Pre-con Meeting to Set Expectations▼ Define Role of Engineer vs. CM▼ Get a Detailed Schedule from Contractor▼ Get a List of Contractor’s Manpower and Equipment▼ Prepare a Submittal Log▼ Discuss the Need to Schedule Submittals/Re-submittals▼ Take pre-con Photos▼ Define:

Early Action Submittals Long Lead Time Materials

The Facts of LifeThe Facts of Life

▼ Low Bidders Win the Work▼ Some Contractors are Good, Some are Not▼ Some Contractors will be Adversarial▼ Contractors Need to Make Money▼ But, Everyone Wants to Get the Job Done▼ Contractors are Responsible for Means and Methods▼ It is Very Hard to Require a Contractor to Stop Work▼ The CM Can’t Lose Their Cool▼ The Public is Always Nearby

Communication is the Key to SuccessCommunication is the Key to Success

Be Prepared and FlexibleBe Prepared and Flexible

▼ Major Differences Between Large and Small Jobs▼ Major Differences Between Complex and Simple Jobs▼ Bid Item Jobs versus Lump Sum Jobs▼ Don’t be Like the Captain of the Titanic

Smooth Sailing Doesn’t Last▼ Don’t Only Prepare for the Last Hurricane

Start Out on the Right FootStart Out on the Right Foot

▼ Strict Adherence to the Contract Docs Can be More Creative Latter

▼ Ask Questions, Offer Suggestions, Do Not Direct▼ Be Reasonable, but not a Push-Over▼ Be On-site Every Day there is Activity▼ Full-time Inspection of Critical/Underground Items▼ Take Photos

DocumentationDocumentation

▼ Do the Daily Reports Daily Assume they will be in Court Quote the Contractor Take Photos

▼ Document Everything, Write Serial Letters▼ Always Adhere to Notification Provisions in the Specs▼ Keep Track of Force-Account Hours and Equipment▼ Handle Change Orders ASAP▼ Ensure the Contractor Keeps Contemporaneous Cost

Records for Change Orders and Claims

SafetySafety

▼ Contractor is Responsible for Job Safety Make Sure they Have a Plan and Follow It

▼ Keep Yourself Safe Hold Inspector Safety Meetings (large projects) Fall Protection Confined Space Entry

▼ Attend the Contractors Tailgate Safety Meetings▼ Document Actions, Take Photos▼ Don’t Direct the Contractors Staff on Safety

Notify your Contractor of Concerns

TESCTESC

▼ Can Get Lots of Scrutiny▼ Walk the Site With Contractor▼ Protect the Inlets▼ Sweep the Streets▼ Inspect the Facilities▼ Pre-position Materials▼ Prepare for Storms▼ Check up On the Weekends if Needed

If You Make it Important, They WillIf You Make it Important, They Will

ExcavationExcavation

▼ Always Saw-Cut▼ Don’t Over-widen Trenches▼ Hot-Topics

Shoring Dewatering Foundation Material Check Your Submittals

ShoringShoring

▼ Worker Protection Needed for > 4-foot Depths Supervision by a Competent Person Understand WAC 296.155

▼ Trench Boxes Will Allow Sloughing Can Impact Utilities

DewateringDewatering

▼ Trench Must be Dry▼ Dewatering Wells Need Time to Work▼ Dewatering Wells are Needed 24/7

Is Noise an Issue?▼ Anticipate the Need for Baker Tanks

FoundationsFoundations

▼ Probe the Sub-grade▼ Get the Engineer on-site if Needed▼ Use a Geotextile Fabric if Needed▼ If in Doubt, Over-Ex and Add Foundation Materials

Backfill and BeddingBackfill and Bedding

▼ Native Soil Sensitive to Moisture Content Watch for Large Diameter Rocks Watch for Excessive Organics

▼ Compaction Verify Density Right Size/Type Compactor

▼ Avoid End-dumping

PVC PipePVC Pipe

▼ Brittle in Cold Weather▼ Bedding

Must Be Mechanically Compacted Pipe Strength Comes from Bedding Haunches Bring Up Evenly on Each Side

▼ Testing By Mandrel Is Important▼ C900/905 is Strong, but Still Need to Be Careful

Easy to OverlookEasy to Overlook

▼ Dissimilar Materials Need Dielectric Couplings▼ Notify Public of Service Interruptions▼ Check out Contractor’s Pressure Testing Equipment▼ Where to Get Testing Water▼ Where to Dispose of Testing Water and Declorinate▼ Thrust Block Must Bear on Undisturbed Soil▼ Coordinate What Contractor Does and Utility Does

Easy to OverlookEasy to Overlook

▼ Meters/Boxes on Hand if Utility Provided▼ Compare Materials Delivered to Shop Drawings▼ Get O&M Materials▼ Closure Pieces and Couplings, Especially RJ

Claims AvoidanceClaims Avoidance

▼ Have Good Records▼ Settle Up as You Go▼ Issue Unilateral Change Orders if Needed (But be Fair)▼ Pay for Acceleration if Needed

Do What it Takes to Avoid Extended Overhead▼ Be Responsive if There is a DSC▼ Don’t Delay the Contractor, Be Timely and Responsive▼ Stick to the Contract

Avoids a claim that you “Abandoned the Contract”

Oh, and Take PhotosOh, and Take Photos

Questions?Questions?